Key information

Study mode:

Full time

Duration:

1 year full-time, September to September

Application status:

Open

Start date:

September 2025

Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our postgraduate courses will be published from mid-October 2025.

Our MRes in Interdisciplinary Chemical Research provides a unique opportunity to work with two academic supervisors from multiple specialisms on an interdisciplinary research project. This will encourage you to think innovatively, outside of the traditional boundaries of chemistry. You will also gain key skills in research techniques, analytical and ethical thinking, project planning, and communication. This MRes provides the ideal platform for anyone contemplating a career in scientific research in industry or academia and is particularly beneficial to those considering a PhD.

Key benefits

You will initially be based in the heart of London at the Department of Chemistry’s Britannia House (near London Bridge), where you will be taught using state-of-the-art lab research facilities.
The Department of Chemistry is research-focused but excels in teaching as well, ranking 1st in London (source: Guardian University Guide 2020 - League Table for Chemistry).
This is a research-led course taught by staff who are recognised leaders in their fields.
You will be studying innovative modules covering modern interdisciplinary research skills, with a focus upon chemistry.
The open-ended research project is 75 percent of this course, which contrasts significantly with MSc programmes where the emphasis is more classroom based. Your interdisciplinary research project will compel you to work outside of the traditional boundaries of chemistry, to address cutting-edge research topics and real-world issues. 
Your research supervisors can be from multiple disciplines including Engineering, Physics, Imaging Sciences, Dentistry, Neuroscience, The Francis Crick Institute and The Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics. This allows you to explore diverse topics aligned to your interests.

I chose to study at King’s as I was drawn to the rapport between staff and students in the Chemistry department.”

Hayley, Chemistry with Biomedicine MSci

The MRes in Interdisciplinary Chemical Research is an inter-Departmental course. The first three months will equip you with the required skills to better understand research in general: how to better plan and communicate research and how to best execute it either experimentally, computationally or theoretically depending on your project. The first three months will also cover some cutting-edge area of scientific research at King's, and broader skills such as understanding ethics and inclusivity in research. The remainder of the course will be an open-ended research project that you perform under the close supervision of two different academic supervisors, working together to help you perform an interdisciplinary research project. This might be physically in two laboratories or fully computational; it could also be bridging two different fields of chemistry, or combining cutting edge chemistry with parallel sciences, such as pharmacy, physics, biophysics, biology, biomaterials, biochemistry, etc. All projects enable you to become an active scientist and researcher. The MRes in Interdisciplinary Chemical Research is currently comprised of three required modules, totalling 180 credits. Each module provides some flexibility allowing students to customise their study based upon previous experience or your desired research skills. You will complete the course over one year. The majority of assessment focuses upon active skills required to be a modern researcher, including writing literature reviews, research proposals, computational and experimental laboratory reports, poster presentations, oral presentations and oral vivas. Your research will culminate in your thesis, which will be written in the style of a scientific article. You will initially be based at the Department of Chemistry’s research-dedicated building, Britannia House (close to Guy’s Campus, and London Bridge). If required, some learning activities such as lectures will be held at the Franklin Wilkins Building, at the Waterloo Campus. However, the locations of research projects are determined by which research project students are assigned; it will be within London and time might be spent in research labs at any of the King’s Campuses, or King’s-affiliated research institutes (such as the Francis Crick Institute or Randall Centre).

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Application closing date guidance

We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process. In addition, if you receive an offer, this programme requires all non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals (with some exceptions) to have an ATAS certificate before they can enrol at King’s and this can take some time. We therefore advise applying as soon as possible to avoid any delay in obtaining this certificate.

Our first application deadline is on 9 March 2025 (23:59 UK time). The final application deadlines for this programme are:

Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2025 (23:59 UK time)
Home fee status: 25 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)

After the first application deadline in March:

if the programme is not yet full, we will continue to accept applications until all available places are filled up to the final application deadlines above
if the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications

Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline, and we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.

UK applicants

Standard requirements

A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree

If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).